Disturbance Patterns in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA

The Northern Rocky Mountains (NRM), stretching from northern British Columbia to southern Idaho, serve as a habitat for diverse plant and animal communities. The region consists of various environments, including subalpine, alpine, and boreal habitats. Disturbances such as mountain pine beetle, fire, and the introduction of pathogens are rapidly changing the landscape. These disturbances are, in part, driven by warming temperatures and drier conditions. Paleoclimate proxy data from lake sediment cores provide information about the history of these disturbances in relation to the climate over a more extended period than the observable record allows. 

Dr. Andrea Brunelle has been interested in the NRM for multiple decades, with her Ph.D. dissertation focusing on the climate reconstruction of the Bitterroot range in Idaho and Montana. Her research in the NRM explores changing fire regimes and vegetation patterns over time on a regional scale in response to large-scale climate controls such as precipitation and insolation.

Dr. Jennifer Watt's interest in the unique ecosystem of the NRM began during her Master’s and has continued throughout her career. Her interests primarily focus on bark beetle outbreaks and fire across the region. She is particularly interested in understanding how bark beetle impacted this region in the past and their implications for future outbreaks. 

Current research in the NRM is being conducted by Dr. Jennifer Watt and M.S. student Lauren Isom. This work aims to address the paleoecological relationship between mountain pine beetle and whitebark pine, a keystone species in the NRM.  Previous research on disturbance patterns in whitebark pine ecosystems was conducted by M.S. alum Jordin Hartley. His work examined fire activity and frequency in relation to fuel type availability and its impact on vegetation.

Funded by: REDD Center Faculty Grant and Office of Undergraduate Research